Firefighters complete 150-mile walk

From left, Ron Hawkins, Justin Nelson and Jeff Loeks stop for a rest in North Branch on Monday, Sept. 23.Photo by Jon Tatting

Remember the three firefighters who stopped in North Branch and received aid from local fire crews while on a 150-mile fundraising walk from Duluth to White Bear Lake?

“Well …, we made it, and all three of us are recuperating,” Ron Hawkins told the Post Review last week.

Hawkins, 46, was joined by fellow White Bear Lake firemen Justin Nelson, 31, and Jeff Loeks, 43, who completed their journey well ahead of schedule Oct. 1 after setting off in Duluth on Friday, Sept. 20. They embarked on the walk to raise money for an all-terrain rescue vehicle for their fire department.

“I’m happy to report that we’ve raised enough money to purchase an ATV,” Hawkins said. “We are all very excited. I’m not sure the specific amount that we raised, but we are still accepting donations for needed accessories for the ATV.”

Loeks, who coordinated the journey, has created a “Firefighters Calendar” to raise additional funds for the project. For more information, go to www.facebook.com/WhiteBearWaterRescueCraft.